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The University of Utah Athletics
2011 Utah Volleyball Preview: Right-side Hitters
8/15/2011 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 15, 2011
2011 Utah Volleyball Media Guide
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With the first serve of the 2011 Utah volleyball campaign 11 days away, utahutes.com preps fans for the beginning of the season with a breakdown of the Ute roster as well as a look at the upcoming schedule for Utah's Pac-12 debut. This is the first in a five-part series about the student-athletes Utah has at each position heading into the season as well as the competition they will face.
Monday, Aug. 15: Right-side Hitter
Tuesday, Aug. 16: Outside Hitter
Wednesday, Aug. 17: Middle Blocker
Thursday, Aug. 18: Setter/Libero
Friday, Aug. 19: Schedule
After winning six Mountain West Conference titles and going 137-43 (.761) through 11 years of league play, the University of Utah volleyball program will begin competing in the Pac-12 Conference. Who better to usher in this new era than 22nd-year head coach Beth Launiere?
Launiere owns a 425-238 (.641) career record and has been named the AVCA West Region Coach of the Year three times (2001, `06, `08) and the MWC Coach of the Year (2004, `06, `08) of the Year three times during her tenure. To continue that level of success in their new conference, Launiere and the Utes know a difficult challenge lies ahead.
"We started preparing [for the move to Pac-12] last spring," Launiere said. "We put in as many hours this spring as we ever have. Not just hours, quality hours. The team was as focused and motivated as ever. We met a lot and talked about what we're heading into."
Utah is familiar with its new league as it has played all 11 of its fellow Pac-12 teams at least four times over the program's 36-year history. The Utes own wins over each Pac-12 school and have earned impressive victories since 2000, including a 3-2 road win at Arizona State last season as well as a five-set win over No. 1 Stanford at Crimson Court in 2000.
"We looked at the Pac-12 from top to bottom and found where we fit in statistically," Launiere said. "We shared a lot of the information with the team, so we're going to go in with as much awareness and preparation as we can. With that said, we can't prepare 100% for what we're getting into. There's going to be a learning curve, no question. With an increased learning curve, the growth rate is higher. That's what we're excited about.
"Some of the top teams will have size and speed that we haven't faced consistently, but the meat of the conference is not going to shock us," Launiere said. "The difference is going to be facing those teams every single night. You can't have a down night and if you do, you're going to get beat. How we respond is really going to be a key. In the past, we might have a couple weeks to get some things figured out. Now we'll have 24 hours. That's the difference."
Aside from competing against an elevated schedule, the Utes will look for a team effort to make up for the loss of the 2010 graduating class, a trio of athletes who left their mark on the school record books.
"I see it as a whole team replacing opposite hitter Karolina Bartkowiak, libero Keisha Fisher and setter Stephanie Neeley," Launiere said. "That's why I put us in that young category. Our two returning all-conference players were freshmen last year. The other area where we're young is the setting and libero positions, even though they aren't freshmen. I see that as a positive because this group is going to be able to grow together in the new conference in the next couple of years."
Duo of Lanting and Spurrier Make Right-Side Hitter a Strength for Utah:
Lanting, a Corcoran, Calif. native, returns for her senior season and owns four career double figure-kill performances. She registered a career-high 14 kills in Utah's 3-2 home win against BYU in 2010.
"[Lanting] has proven she can put up good numbers for us," Launiere said. "She is a low-error attacker. Her blocking will be a key for us."
Between [Lanting] and an exciting incoming freshman, Alli Spurrier, who is a 6-3 left-handed player, we're going to be in good shape in that position," Launiere said.
Spurrier, hailing from Olympus High School in Salt Lake City, was selected to the 2010 4A State Tournament team.
"[Spurrier] has tremendous blocking instincts," Launiere said. "She's long and big at the net. She's a left-handed attacker and will bring a significant blocking presence to our team. [Spurrier] plays the right side and will have the ability to affect our opponents' top outside hitters."
Right Side Hitter Player Notes:
Jennifer Lanting
Sr. ? RS ? 6-6 ? Corcoran, Calif. ? Central Valley Christian H.S.
A fifth-year senior who has a lot of experience under her belt after gaining significant playing time over the last three years ... has improved tremendously ... a low-error player who hits the ball high ... always has impressive statistics because she gets a good swing on the ball.
Alli Spurrier
Fr. ? OPP ? 6-6 ? Salt Lake City, Utah ? Olympus H.S.
A left-handed player who is a very good jumper ... a flyer and a smooth athlete who is very fluid in all of her movements ... a very good blocker ... big and has a feel for the block as well.
Players Mentioned
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/ VolleyballGet to know new Utah Volleyball Head Coach Alyssa D'Errico.
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